SunSmart Message Shining Bright

The Minister for Education the Hon. Grace Grace MP, Cancer Council Queensland CEO Chris McMillan and Lady Gowrie QLD CEO, Louise Jackson, visited Lady Gowrie Quarry Street Child Centre to celebrate 20 years of the program in Queensland

Lady Gowrie Queensland celebrate 20 years of the National SunSmart Program in Queensland

The SunSmart Message is shining bright at Lady Gowrie Queensland Centres! The Minister for Education the Hon. Grace Grace MP, Cancer Council Queensland CEO Chris McMillan and Lady Gowrie QLD CEO, Louise Jackson, visited Lady Gowrie Quarry Street Child Centre to encourage more organisations to join the program.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation damage accumulated during childhood and adolescence is strongly associated with an increased risk of skin cancer later in life.

Young children are most often in school or in child care when (UV) radiation levels are at their peak during the middle of the day, so these organisations are uniquely placed to educate children about sun protection behaviour, minimise UVR exposure and ultimately reduce a child’s lifetime risk of skin cancer.

The National SunSmart Program aims to instill lifelong SunSmart habits in Queensland kids from an early age. Over 2,100 Queensland primary schools, early childcare centres and outside of school hours care are currently members of the free program.

Among them is Lady Gowrie Quarry Street Child Centre who have highlighted their commitment to protecting their staff and students against the sun’s harmful UV rays by joining the program.

 “Early childhood is the time where foundations are laid for future health, learning and wellbeing.”

Lady Gowrie Qld CEO, Louise Jackson

Lady Gowrie Qld CEO, Louise Jackson said: “For Lady Gowrie QLD we know the children are always watching so it is critically important that we start the education about being SunSmart as early as possible in our program,”

“Queensland is the skin cancer capital of the world and at Lady Gowrie we take our role in preparing children for life seriously, and that includes SunSmart behaviours as early as possible.

“It is important to model SunSmart behaviours and ensure children have the best possible protection from the sun at all times.”

“At Lady Gowrie we take our role in preparing children for life seriously, and that includes teaching SunSmart behaviours as early as possible”  – Lady Gowrie Qld CEO, Louise Jackson

Recently, Cancer Council Queensland CEO Chris McMillan and the Minister for Education the Hon. Grace Grace MP, visited Ladie Gowrie Quarry Street Child Centre to celebrate 20 years of the program in Queensland and encourage more organisations to join the program.

National SunSmart Program memberships are reviewed by Cancer Council Queensland every three years and schools must renew their membership if they want to stay within the program.

To find out more about the National SunSmart Program or to check your organisations current status, please visit https://cancerqld.org.au/cancer-prevention/programs-resources/national-sunsmart-program/